LITMIR.BIZ

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the gashes I could see, but I knew he wouldn’t allow it. Leave them to close themselves. I’ve already licked them clean.

      At least, let me see the ones on your belly.

      He was not happy about it, but he complied. The damage was much worse there, for the cat had obviously pulled him close, and his belly lacked the thick fur that had somewhat protected his back. They were not clean slashes, but jagged tears that were already festering. The only good aspect was that the claws had not penetrated the wall of his belly. I had feared to see bulging entrails; all I saw was lacerated flesh. I cursed myself for not having any salve to comfort the wounds. It had been too long since I had had to worry about things such as this; I had grown careless in the precautions I took.

      Why didn’t you call for me to come and help you?

      You were too far away to get here in time. And – uneasiness tinged his thoughts – I thought they wanted me to call you. The man on the big horse and the cat. They listened, as if my call to you were game they sought to beat out of hiding.

      Not the Prince.

      No. My brother, there is something very strange here. He was surprised when the horseman came with the extra mount. Yet I sensed the cat was not, the cat expected the man and the horses. The Prince does not perceive all that his bond-partner does. He goes blindly into his bond. It is … uneven. One commits and the other accepts the commitment, but does not return it in full. And the cat is … wrong.

      He could make it no clearer than that to me. I sat for a time, my fingers buried deep in his coat, pondering what to do next. The Prince was gone. Someone he had not summoned had arrived to carry him away from the wolf, at precisely the moment that the cat was diverting the wolf. Carry him away to where?

      I chased them for a time. But it is as you said. I cannot keep up with a running horse any more.

      You never could.

      Well. Neither could you. You couldn’t even keep up with a running wolf for long.

      True. That’s very true. I smoothed his coat, and tried to pluck a dead leaf from one of his scabs.

      Leave that alone! I’ll bite your hand off! And he could have. Fast as a snake, he seized my wrist in his jaws. He squeezed it, then let me go. It isn’t bleeding, so leave it alone. Stop picking at me and go after them.

      And do what?

      Begin by killing the cat. It was a vindictive suggestion with no heart in it. He knew as well as I did what it would do to the Prince if we killed his bond-animal.

      I do. A pity he does not share your scruples about killing your bond-brother.

      He doesn’t know you are bonded to me.

      They knew I was bonded to somebody, and would have liked to discover just whom. That knowledge did not dissuade them from hurting me. I sensed his thoughts racing ahead of mine, pondering a situation I had not deciphered yet. Be careful, Changer. I recognize this pattern of old. You think this is a game of some kind, with limits and rules. You seek to bring the Prince back as a mother carries an errant cub back to the den. You have not even considered that you might have to injure him, or kill the cat to do so. Even farther from your thoughts is that they might kill you to prevent you from taking the Prince back. So I change my advice to you. Do not go after them now, alone. Give me until this evening to get past my soreness. And when we track them, let us take the Scentless One with us. He is clever, in a human sort of way.

      Do you think the Prince has that in him? To kill me before letting me take him back to Buckkeep? The thought appalled me. Yet, I had been younger than Prince Dutiful when I first killed on Chade’s orders. I had not especially enjoyed it, but I had not deeply pondered the right or wrong of it. Chade was my conscience then, and I had trusted his discretion. I wondered. Was there such a person in the Prince’s life, someone whose counsel was enough to make him suspend his own judgement?

      Stop thinking that you are dealing with a young prince. You are not. Nor is it the cat we must fear. This is something deeper and stranger, my brother, and we are best to go very, very carefully.

      He drank the rest of my water. Then I left him there under the oaks, though I did not like to. I did not attempt to follow their trail, but returned to the Bresinga manor at Galeton, found the feather-case, and rode back to the hunt. They had moved on, but it was easy enough to track them. When I presented the case to Lord Golden, he observed, ‘You were a long time bringing it, Badgerlock.’ He looked round at his hunting companions and added, ‘Well, at least it is not as I had feared. I almost thought you had taken my words to mean that you must bring the case, even if you had to go all the way to Buckkeep Castle for it.’ There was a general laugh at my supposed dullness.

      I bobbed my head in docile agreement. ‘My apologies, master, for the delay in finding it. It was not where I expected it to be.’

      He accepted my apology with a nod, then handed me the case again. ‘Collect the feathers from Huntswoman Laurel. See that you put them in carefully.’

      Laurel had a substantial handful of feathers. The red case opened like a book. Within, the case was lined with felted wool to cushion the feathers against hurts. I held the case while she carefully arranged each feather in its place. The other hunters rode on, seeming to pay no attention to us. ‘The cats hunt well?’ I asked as she positioned feathers.

      ‘Very well. They are amazing to watch. I had seen the Prince’s mistcat hunt before, but this is my first experience of gruepards. They have set the cats twice on birds and once on hares since you left us.’

      ‘Think you they will hunt much longer?’

      ‘I doubt it. Lord Golden confided that the midday sun is too harsh on his skin and may give him a headache. I think they will turn back soon.’

      ‘That would suit me well, also.’ The others were now a distance away from us, talking amongst themselves. She closed the feather-case and handed it back to me. We rode side by side until we caught up with the hunting party. She turned in her saddle to look at me and met my eyes as she said, ‘Last night, Tom Badgerlock, you looked a different man. You should take more care with your daily appearance. The effect is well worth your effort.’

      Her words left me speechless. She smiled to see me struck dumb, then left me behind with the other attendants as she spurred her horse forwards to ride at Lord Golden’s stirrup. I do not know what, if any, words passed between them, only that soon the hunting party decided to return to Galekeep. The game-bags were heavy, the beat of the sun overhead was becoming oppressive, and the cats seemed irritable and less interested in the hunt.

      This being so, the nobles turned their horses and set spurs to them, hastening back to the welcome cool of Galekeep’s thick stone walls. The rest of us followed as best we might. Myblack easily kept their pace, though I had to ride in their dust.

      Nobility retired to their chambers to wash the dust away and don fresh clothing while others cared for their sweated horses and cranky cats. I followed Lord Golden as he strode ebulliently through the halls. I hastened to open the door for him, and then to shut it behind us after he had passed through. I fastened the latch quietly.

      I turned to find him already laving the dust from his face and hands. ‘What happened?’ he asked me.

      I told him.

      ‘Will he be all right?’ he asked anxiously.

      ‘The Prince? I hardly know.’

      ‘Nighteyes,’ the Fool clarified impatiently.

      ‘As well as he may be. I’ll take him more water and meat when I return. He was in pain but not like to die of his injuries.’ Though I had not liked the look of the inflamed scratches. The Fool almost seemed to answer my thoughts.

      ‘I’ve a salve that may soothe his hurts, if he will let you use it.’

      I had to smile. ‘I doubt that he will, but I will be glad to take it all the same.’

      ‘Well.

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